A Brief Account of Radio-activity

This concise work offers a clear, lecture‑style introduction to radio‑activity for anyone studying general chemistry or simply curious about the subject. It avoids dense mathematics, focusing instead on the experimental observations and logical deductions that built the field. The author’s aim is to fill the gap left by standard textbooks, presenting the material in an organized, easy‑to‑follow manner.

Beginning with the surprising chain of discoveries that led from Röntgen’s X‑rays to Becquerel’s uranium experiments, the book traces how scientists recognized a new, intrinsic property of certain atoms. It explains how uranium and thorium were identified as the first radioactive elements and how early work by the Curies revealed even more active substances. By the end of the first part, listeners will grasp the fundamental concepts and historical context that underpin modern understandings of radio‑activity.